The Iron Cross of Love
by Einsamkeit English
Summary: Feliciano Vargas has spent the last year doing the same thing: going to the market to buy tomatoes and flirting with pretty girls. But ever since his grandfather left him and his elder brother bailed for a certain Spaniard, Feli has wanted more. He's wanted love. And a prophet tells him that he will indeed get such! But how far will Feli go? And is it even worth it?
1. Chapter 1

Please enjoy this fanfiction! Which I made especially for all you GerIta fangirls! Please note however, that this second chapter may take a while. I might not even write it if no one likes this first chapter. But please, do enjoy!

- Oresama

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Feliciano Vargas rubbed his arm where the bruise was hidden beneath his thin t-shirt as he walked down the familiar path towards the market. He glanced up at the clear blue sky, remembering how his grandfather had always been so enthused to go to the market with him. But those days had been long gone now that Feliciano was an adult. The Italian had tried to push away those sweet memories because they forced him to recall things that could never happen again.

Grandpa Rome had left the Vargas home nearly a year ago without any explanation or word of when he would return. Feliciano had been left in the care of his elder brother, Lovino Vargas. But Lovino was constantly out with his boyfriend, Antonio and hardly spent any time at home. Thus, Feliciano found himself constantly lonely and depressed. The olden days haunted him like ghosts and on the occasional stormy night, he hallucinated about his grandfather.

The ginger-haired Italian's brown eyes fell upon that of the lone tomato stand, where a crippled old man stood shouting some gibberish in a language that was any but Italian.

_"Ein Berliner und Ein Italienisch Junge! Sie wollen treffen! Am Ein Imbiss . . .? Ja! Ein Imbiss . . . Die Junge wollen treffen da! Ja!" _Shouted the old man, as he closed and re-opened his sightless gray eyes.

Feliciano felt sorry for the poor man. He seemed so delusional, and everyone in the market seemed to think so, as none approached him to ask for a tomato. But this friendly Italian was about to change that, Feliciano decided. He marched up to the old man and gave him a small smile.

"May I purchase a tomato?" Asked he, fiddling in the pockets of his pizzeria apron for some spare Euros.

The old man was silenced by Feliciano's voice and he moved forward, reaching his hand cautiously over the counter of his small tomato stand. Little Feliciano was so surprised that he didn't immediately react when the cripple's callused fingers brushed over his cheek. But in a moment, Feli had recovered and took a step back.  
"E-Excuse me- " Feliciano began, but was interrupted by the old man's voice which was barely more than a whisper.

"You are the Italian boy from my dream," the old man said.

Feliciano blushed, "I-I didn't know that people had dreams about me! Was I cute? What happened? Did we eat pasta? I love pasta! So, when you had this dream-"

Once again, the old hermit-like man interrupted and with a few strokes of his long, blonde braid of hair, continued: "I am the prophet, Germania from Germany. I came because of my prophetic dream of the romance flower blooming between a German man and an Italian. You are the Italian from my dream, and I must tell you, you will soon meet the German whom you will fall in love with."

Feliciano blinked and then smiled at the prophet, "Fall in love with a German man? Me? Why, I only flirt with the Italian ladies, never a German man! I don't think that could possibly happen."

Germania's eyes widened and they seemed to become clearer and he shook his head, "I-I'm sorry about that, young man. Sometimes I mumble some strange gibberish. Would you like a tomato?"

Feliciano blinked several times; he was having an awfully hard time comprehending what was happening.

"Y-Yes I'd like a tomato. But what was all that you were saying about me falling in love? And about your prophetic dream?" The Italian was feeling rather riled up from Germania's strange words and now that the man seemed to have a bit more sense, Feliciano found that he wanted answers.

Quickly.

Germania was shaking his head and sighed as he took a few tomatoes from his crate and placed them into Feliciano's hands, "I honestly don't remember saying anything of the sort. But as I said, I tend to ramble on and then have no memory of it. I apologize for any inconveniences."

Feliciano gave Germania a half-smile, but it was lacking.

"Well thank you for the tomatoes, sir," he continued to run his hands around in his pockets, probing for change.

"Oh they're free for you to pay you for all the trouble I've caused you," said the blonde man, smiling kindly.

Feliciano was speechless with shock from the old man's kindness.

"I- I couldn't possibly do that to you, sir! There must be some other way that I can repay you!"

Germania smiled again and pointed behind the small Italian, "You've paid me enough, as you have brought me some customers. Be on your way now, _Italienisch Junge_."

Feliciano's brown eyes were wide with disbelief at the name; it had been the same thing that Germania had said when he was possessed by the prophet. But the Italian nodded all the same and with a gracious smile, waved and ran for his home.

Once Feliciano was far away from the market and the surrounding village, he hurried home and dropped off his collection of tomatoes, not even waiting around for Lovino to show his face. The younger Italian brother had too much on his mind for that; he had a German lover waiting for him somewhere! Feli hurried from the empty, loneliness that made up his home and then realized he had no idea where he was going. Finally, he just leaned the nearest tree to catch his breath and think.

"I have no idea where to go to search for my alleged romantic interest, and since he's German, he's probably in Germany."

The Italian sighed, "And I've never been there . . . but I'm sure that they don't have any pasta."

He shook his head and shoved his hands in his apron pockets, "It's a waste of time to go anyway. There are probably way more Germans than Italians, and my lover isn't just going to come waltzing right up."

For the first time in his life, Feliciano Vargas was sick of love. He'd been told he'd find his lover and at the time, it'd sounded so easy, but now he saw that it would not be so.

But the Italian would not give up! So with a deep inhale of his Italian air, he crossed the bored into what he knew, to be Germany.

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I hope you all enjoyed! R&R! Grazie!


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: Everyone! I'm so sorry to make you wait so long! *bow bow*

I'm so happy with the reviews I got too! Thanks to you, I've decided to continue this story!

Without any more discussion, let's get to the Second Chapter!)

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Chapter 2:

Feliciano had closed his eyes as his feet touched on the unfamiliar soil of Germany. Cautiously he opened his brown eyes and smiled, this country wasn't so bad after all!

He kept walking until he arrived at a small market-like street, which was full of Germans. The small Italian smiled, "It reminds me of the market back home!"

Feliciano continued on his way, trying to avoid bumping into any Germans since they seemed to be yelling angrily at each other in a language that was not English, nor Italian.

Unfortunately, Feliciano ran right into a bickering couple, who were silenced immediately by his unintentional interruption.

"S-Sorry! Um . . ." The Italian frantically tried to remember how to apologize in German. Lovino's boyfriend Antonio had had a best friend who was German and could speak it fluently.

"S-Schade!" Feliciano finally managed to get out.

The woman blinked, "You're not from around here, are you?"

Feli gulped but nodded, "Yes. I'm Italian. . . I'm looking for my lover."

He didn't know why, but Feliciano felt that he could trust this woman. She smiled at him. Her smile seemed to ease the angry lines in her face and he realized that she was actually very beautiful.  
She had gorgeous green eyes and flowing brown hair, pulled away from her face by a bandana. Her dress, although not very ornate, was still very appealing and accented her thin figure and perfect hips in a way that not all dresses could.

The man who Feliciano had presumed to be the woman's husband was brushing some unwanted dust from his coat and then raised his gaze to meet Feliciano's.

"Good day."

The man had an accent that sounded German but he looked more Austrian.

"I'm Elizabeta Héderváry by the way," said the woman, smiling at Feliciano as she said her name with a giggle.

"Feliciano Vargas!" Feli said with a smile, thinking that this lady, Elizabeta, was so nice.

She wasn't at all the way he pictured a German lady.

"Roderich Edelstein," Said the man.

Feliciano gasped, "Y-You have a curl like me!"

The Italian stepped forward and reached up to touch Roderich's curl.

"Please don't touch my Mariazell," Roderich said, pushing his wire-rimmed glasses further up on his nose in annoyance.

Feliciano put his hands in his apron pockets uncertainly before turning back to Elizabeta. She smiled at him again, "Is there something you need help with?"

Her voice was soft and melodic, almost like a tiny song waiting to be composed.

"Feliciano?" Elizabeta whispered, wondering if he had heard her.

"S-Sorry, Schade," Feliciano blinked as something occurred to him, "Wait . . . you both speak English? And . . . not German?"

Elizabeta turned to Roderich and the aristocrat spoke, "I speak German, as it is the language of my country. But I'm Austrian."

Elizabeta turned back to the young Italian, "I speak a bit of German too! But I'm Hungarian."

Feliciano put his hands over his face and growled in anger.

"What's wrong, Feliciano?" The Hungarian woman asked, her expression turning to confusion and worry.

The Italian pasta-lover raised his head and looked into her eyes, "I was just thinking how kind Germans were since I'd met you both. But it turns out that neither of you are as such!"

Elizabeta turned her gaze to Roderich who moved to face Feliciano, "Both of my brothers, Gilbert and Ludwig, are German."

Feliciano nodded, "May I meet them?"

Roderich looked as though he'd rather not introduce this strange Italian to his relatives. But his Hungarian accomplice gave him a hard glare and he resigned, "I suppose so . . ."

Feliciano blinked in shock, "Really?"

The Austrian nodded and beckoned for the Italian to follow him. Elizabeta smiled and took Feliciano's hand, "Let's go, Feliciano!"

Feliciano, though his search for his German lover was not successful, had made friends and was pleased with himself. He kept a wide smile on his face the whole way to the house where Roderich lived with his two brothers.

Elizabeta was acting very uncomfortable as they headed down the cobble-stone path to the door of the mansion.

"Are you alright, Ms. Elizabeta?" asked the Italian, suddenly seeing the Hungarian's nervous expression.

She blinked, "Y-Yes I'm fine. I just get nervous when I come to visit Roderich's brothers . . ."

Though he thought better than to ask her, Feliciano was very curious about what made Elizabeta so anxious. Roderich seemed nice, so his brothers were bound to be nice as well, right? So then why didn't Elizabeta remain calm as she did when she was around Roderich? The Italian shrugged, he knew he would get the answers to his questions in about three more strides through the doorway.

The scene that met Feliciano's eye was any but what he had been expecting. In the living room, was a blonde young man who looked rather official and seemed to be working diligently on a word document on his laptop. Next to the blonde, an albino young-man was lounging with a PS3 controller in one hand and a glass of beer in the other.

Feliciano turned back to Roderich, but found the Austrian to be absent, leaving him with only the Hungarian woman.

"Elizabeta . . . are these really Roderich's _brothers_?" The Italian's voice was full of disbelief as he continued to focus on the two men sitting in the room.

Now that Feliciano looked around, the room seemed to have three themes about it, each one seeming to argue which was the best.

"Gilbert, Ludwig, we have visitors," said Roderich, who reappeared with a platter of tea cups and a teapot of steaming Austrian Tea.

Gilbert paused Black Ops 2 and threw down his controller, heading into the Dining Room for the tea that was to be served. Hesitantly, Elizabeta followed him.

Ludwig's eyes were glued to the computer screen and he typed away, seeming not to hear. Feliciano, being the curious Italian that he was, cautiously moved onto the sofa next to the blonde German and took a look at his screen. Sure enough, Ludwig was writing what appeared to be a story.

" . . . Then, as the German looked up, his eyes met those of another German. The two of them held their gazes like that for what seemed like a long time, not speaking and unmoving. Finally, the German dropped his gaze but this did not discourage the second German from making his way over. "Hallo! I'm - -"

Ludwig slammed the computer screen down before Feliciano could continue reading. The Italian opened his mouth to protest, but his thoughts all left him as Ludwig removed his glasses and stood.

Feliciano stood too, only a few centimeters shorter than Ludwig. When the German looked down at the Italian, Feliciano saw his eyes for the first time without the glare of the computer screen.

"Y-Your eyes are so beautiful . . ." Feliciano whispered, amazed by the sky-blue that made up Ludwig's irises.

Ludwig rose an eyebrow is silent question but Feliciano suddenly gasped, "Oh! Y-Your story! It's so nice! Is it a story of two lovers?"

The German nodded, "Yeah, It's a love story I suppose. I've never been in love, so this particular story has been a bit of a challenge for me lately."

Feliciano's eyes widened, "You've written other stories? What are they about?"

Ludwig shrugged, "It varies. Let's go have tea, hm?"

The Italian nodded, "Sure!"

But deep within, something inside of Feliciano made his heart ache like never before. In Ludwig's story, it was two Germans who fell in love. While Feliciano's prophecy stated that it would be a German and himself, an Italian. The pasta-lover couldn't help but wish that the two in Ludwig's story matched Feliciano's prophecy.

"Kesesesese! This tea is great, eh, Liz?" Gilbert said, elbowing Elizabeta, who was sitting next to him.

She blushed and nodded, "Yeah. It's really great, Roderich."

The Austrian nodded his thanks and his violet gaze rose to meet Ludwig's as the German brother entered the Dining Room, followed by Feliciano.

"Sorry, everyone. I got caught up in writing and didn't hear you all," Ludwig apologized hastily before taking an empty seat as Feliciano plopped down next to him.

"Why don't we introduce ourselves?" Elizabeta invited, not wanting to leave Feliciano out of the loop since he was a new visitor to the German brothers' home.

"I'm Elizabeta, you all already know me," she said, blushing again as Gilbert wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Kesesese! I'm the awesome Gilbert Beilschmidt!" The albino said, while taking a swig of tea.

"Roderich," said the Austrian, who quietly sipped his tea and began to hum softly.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt," said the blonde, running his hand gently through his hair and slicking back any hairs that had failed to stay in place as he had typed.

Feliciano was so excited that it was his turn and he smiled at each of them, "I'm Feliciano Vargas!"

"You're Italian?" asked Gilbert, raising an eyebrow quizzically in Feliciano's direction.

Feliciano blinked, his golden eyes widening with fear. What if Roderich's brothers didn't like Italians? Feliciano shrugged, he had to hope for the best! So with that, he raised his gaze to meet the albino's, "Si! I'm Italian!"

Ludwig raised his head, as though he had just been shocked, his blue eyes full of disbelief.

"Is something wrong, Ludwig?" asked Elizabeta, her olive-green eyes full of concern, as she met his eyes over the table.

Ludwig blinked several times and nodded quickly, "Y-Yes, I'm fine."

Just as quickly as it happened, the incident was over and Feliciano was still unfazed.

Gilbert threw his head back and laughed, "An Italian! Lud, it's like a dream come true!"

Ludwig glared at his older brother, silently daring the albino to say something else.

"Like a dream come true? What does he mean, Ludwig?" Feliciano asked, his amber eyes full of curiosity and he looked sideways at the large German.

"Feli," Ludwig had turned sideways and placed his hands on the smaller man's shoulders.

"F-Feli?" Feliciano was astounded by Ludwig's casualness towards him, even though they'd only just met.

"I need to speak with you privately," Ludwig said, abruptly standing and gripping Feliciano's hand tightly and leading him outside.

Feliciano followed the German, surprised at the gentleness that Ludwig showed him. The Italian had expected Ludwig to clutch his hand with a bone-breaking grasp, however it was anything but.

Feliciano found himself blushing as the strong German gripped his hand.

"W-Where are we going, Ludwig?" questioned the cheery Italian, suddenly wondering why Ludwig was in such a hurry.

Ludwig mumbled something in comprehensible and then he stopped, "Look, Feliciano."

Feliciano glanced up and saw that Ludwig had taken him to a garden of flowers.

"T-This is a . . ."

"It's one of the only living ones left in Germany," The blonde said, his blue eyes glazing with sadness for a moment.

But it vanished when he looked around at the beautiful flowers surrounding them, "Feliciano, why did you come to Germany?"

Feliciano blinked and look up into Ludwig's eyes, "What?" Then, as he comprehended, he blushed and explained, "Well a prophet told me that my love would be in Germany . . . so I came here as soon as I could, so I could find him."

"Him?" Ludwig echoed, confused.

"The prophet said that it would be a man, so I came here to find him," Feliciano said, dead serious.

Ludwig leaned his head back and smiled at the blue sky above them, inhaling the sweet air. He paced over to the remains of a stone wall and sat against one of the crumbling columns. Feliciano hesitantly followed him and sat against the second column.

For the first time, the Italian pasta-lover saw the German's smile. It was truly handsome.

"Ludwig, you should smile more," Feliciano said, looking at the wide variety of flowers that were surrounding them, and not meeting the tough man's gaze.

Ludwig nodded and gave the Italian a toothless half-smile, "That is probably true."

"Why don't you? Smile more?" Feliciano asked, his eyebrows becoming knit with concern for the German.

Ludwig sighed and shrugged, "Probably because I'm too busy."

"Too busy to smile?" the Italian said, shock spreading across his kind face.

Ludwig's smile turned sheepish and then he continued, "It's because I constantly have to take care of Gil, 'cause he gets drunk all the time. Roderich is never home so I have to keep everything tidy."

"You shouldn't be as uptight," Feliciano suggested, all while inspecting the various flowers around the two.

(A/N: Hey mates, I was thinking about doing one of these, but a Spamano version to explain the backstory between Spain and Romano (sorry, Lovino and Antonio) what do y'all think? Get back to me, 'k?)

Ludwig shrugged once again, "I suppose you're right, of course. But still, I cannot abandon my duties."

"Hey Ludwig?" The Italian whispered.

"Lud is fine," Said the German with a sigh, as he let out a deep breath which he seemed to have been holding for a long time.

"Lud, um . . . what did Gil mean back there in the Dining Room?" Feliciano asked, nervously running his fingers along the petals of a daisy.

Ludwig reached up and his fingertips slid carefully over the Iron Cross around his neck, and took a deep breath before replying.

There was a period of long silence as the two sat amidst the flowers. Feliciano worried that he'd upset the German and lost his chance to talk to him, or his family.

But Ludwig spoke.

His voice was quieter than before; timid.

"Remember when I said that I'd never been in love before?"

Feliciano blinked, this wasn't the answer he wanted!

"S-Si, er, yes, why?" The Italian was losing hope at an alarming rate.

The German reached into his pocket and withdrew an Iron Cross, identical to the one around his neck.

"Mein Gott, this is going to sound so ridiculous but, my brother brought home this crazy sex-crazed, old Italian guy who claimed to be an oracle. He told me that an Italian would come to me and that we would fall in love."

Feliciano sat in silence.

"I knew that you'd think it was stupid," Ludwig said, putting his head in his hands.

But the Italian didn't think that.

He didn't think that at all.

"Lud . . . A prophet told me that I would fall in love with a German. Like you, I've never been in love, so I was a little confused. I came to Germany searching for my lover. Once I got here, I realized that there were so many people, and that my lover could be anyone. So I felt really alone until I met Roderich and Elizabeta! They let me come with them to your house so that I could meet you and your brother. I wanted to come because, because I thought that one of you might be my lover!" Feliciano said, crushing the daisy in his hand with nervousness.

The German raised his head in shock, "D-Do you think then . . . that you and I . . . that we may be . . . ?"

Feliciano shrugged, "Who knows? We'll just have to find out."

Ludwig lifted the Iron Cross, "Then, will you wear this cross?"

The Italian blinked in confusion, "Wear it? Why?"

"So to, remember me, I guess. So that when you come back to Germany, you can find me and when I go to Italy, I can find you."

Feliciano smiled and nodded, taking the cross and putting it over his head and letting it rest against his chest.

"How do you say 'thank you' in German?"

"Danke, why?" Asked Ludwig.

"Danke, Lud," Feliciano said, touching his fingers to the cold iron.

Ludwig smiled, for the first time, really smiled.

"You should hurry home, Feli."

Feliciano stood and nodded, "I'll see you soon, Lud!"

Ludwig took the Italian's hand, "How does tomorrow sound?"

"Will you meet me at my house?" Feliciano asked, nervously, "We can have a picnic!"

The German nodded, "Ja, but I don't know your house address . . ."

The Italian took out a folded up piece of paper from his apron pocket and a pen. He scribbled down his address and with a quick hug to Ludwig, he ran off towards the border.

Ludwig smiled as he watched the Italian's figure disappear beyond view.

"I really do wonder if he's the one . . ."

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(A/N: Oh, I can't wait for this next chapter! Prussia, er, Gilbert is gonna play a major role! I thought That Feli and Lud would run into Antonio and Lovino while they are on their little date—uh—picnic. Think about it, mkay? I'll see you all next chapter!

Ciao~!)


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